Electromagnetic retaining device.



0. A. ROSS.

ELECTROMAGNETIC RETAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JULYZT. 1914.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG. 1

' INVENTOR.

Q2/4144. E M J B y A TTORN I'V/TNESSES -O. A. ROSS.

ELECTROMAGNETIC RETAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1uLY27. I9I4.

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OSCAR A. ROSS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAYSIGNAL 5 COMPANY, OF. GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Application filed July 27, 1914. Serial No. 853,472

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR A. Boss, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Electromagnetic RetainingDevice, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electro-magnetic retaining device, andparticularly to such a device for operation by alternating current.

The primary object of this invention is a construction ofelectro-magnetic retaining device such that when operated by alternatingcurrent it will be free from objectional mechanical vibration.

Another object of the invention is the construction of anelectro-magnetic retaining device of high efiiciency.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of theinvention pro-' gresses, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated apreferred physicalembodiment of my invention, and wherein like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention withsome parts broken away and others in section to more clearly show theconstruction; Fig. 2, is a partial sectional elevation upon the line ABof Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow E; Fig. 3, is a bottomplan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

1 designates a toothed wheel mounted in any suitable or appropriatemanner upon a shaft 2, which may be connected in any suitable andappropriate manner so as to be acted upon by a single force, which maycause it to move in one direction only, or by a plurality of forces,which may cause it to move first in one direction and then in theopposite direction.

A pawl 3 is mounted on a pin 4, and is held by the spring 5 so that itmay be freely moved in the' direction of the arrow D, but is preventedfrom moving in a direction opposite to the arrow'D any farther than isallowed by the pin 6. This pawl when moved into the path of the teethupon toothed wheel 1 will engage those teeth and prevent a rotation oftoothed wheel 1 in the direction of the arrow C, but will allow arotation of the toothed wheel 1 in a direction opposite to the arrow O.

f it is desired to restrain the toothed Wheel 1 from rotating in adirection opposite to that shown by the arrow C, then the wheel isreversed on the shaft 2 so that the faces 38 of the teeth which coincidewith prolongations of the diameters face in the opposite direction. Thespring 5 is also fastened into hole 39 and the pin 6 is placed in hole40. taining device to act to restrain a movement of wheel 1 in adirection opposite to that of the arrow C, but to allow a movement inthe direction of the arrow C.

In order to support the pawl 3, and its associated parts, and to move itinto and out of engagement with the teeth on toothed wheel 1, it ismounted upon a lever 7 which comprises two spaced plates and which ispivoted on a fixed support 8. This lever at the end opposite the pivotalsupport is notched, forming a space 9 for the reception of pin 10, bestshown in Figs. 1 and 3. This pin consists of two portions arrangedeccentrically, well shown in Fig. 3, and also shown in Fig. 1 by thedotted circles, one

portion 10' being fitted in the notch 9 in' the lever 7, and the otherportion being suitably journaled in another member, hereinafterdescribed. By rotating this latter portion of the pin 10 upon its axisby means of its hexagonal head, the lever 7 is adjusted so that the pawl3 may be caused to approach or recede from the toothed wheel 1 so thatits end. when in the position of rest, as shown in Fig. 1, will justclear the ends of the teeth upon the toothed wheel 1, or by such meansthe end of the pawl 3 may be placed at any desired distance, within therange of the adjustment, from the ends of the teeth of toothed wheel 1,when in the position of rest.

The pin 10 passes through the split end of a lever 11, which is pivotedon a fiX'ed support 12. Between the pivot pin 12 and the pivoted end ofthe lever 11, a bushing 13 is placed. The bushing 13 is retained inplace and the pin 10 is held in adjusted position by means of the screw14, which passes through one portion of the split end one another so asto hold the bushing 13in" I place and the pin in ad usted posltlon,

as stated.

The left hand end of the lever 11 as shown I in Fig. 1 is forked orbifurcated and en:

gages on either side of a sprin box 1 5,.be-' mg secured thereto bymeans 0 the pins 16 and 17, held in place by pins 18 and 19, best shownin Fig. 2. The spring box 15 con tains an upper spring 20 and a lowersprin 21, between which is placed a disk 22, wine is attached rigidly toa rod 23. The strength of the sprlngs 20 and 21 is so adjusted that thedisk 22 is retained in 'a midposition, as shown when all parts are atrest and the device is not energized by an alternating current ashereinafter described. The pin 23 is rigidly attached to a laminated Ushaped iron core 24, the two legs of which each project a short distanceinto I wire coils 25 and 26 and rest upon the shoulders 41 and 42. (SeeFig. 2.) Another U shaped laminated iron core 27, best shown in Fig. 2,also has its two legs extending into the wire coils 25 and 26. The core27 rests upon the top of the coils and is held in place by a fiat spring28, which bears at its two ends on the core 27, and at and about itscenter on the fixed cap 29. As the core 27 bears against the coils 25and 26 the spring 28 absorbs the vibrations of these coils caused by theflow of alternating current therethrough, so that no perceptiblevibration is imparted to the mainsupporting structure.

The'weight of the arm 11 and the parts moved by a movement of the arm 11are, in the specific embodiment shown, either wholly or partiallybalanced, by forming a projection 30 on .the end of the lever 11, bestshown in Fig. 1, and attaching innany suitable and appropriate manner,as by lineans of pin 31 and connecting member 32,

one end of a spring such as 33 thereto, which is caused to exert aconstant force on arm .11, balancing the action of gravity on that armand its associated parts by being at tached at the other end to a fixedpin 34. The force exerted by spring 33 may be such that if disk 22, rod23 and core 24 were removed the arm 11 would, if no force other thangravity acted on it, remain in any po sition in which it might beplaced. This construction decreases the amount of energy needed to besupplied to coils 25 and 26 in order to move and hold pawl 3 intoposition, thus increasing the efiiciency of the device.

If a source of alternating current isconnected to'the terminals 35 and36 of the wire coils 25 and 26 (see' Fig. 2), which are joined togetherby means of wire 37 the core 24, as viewed in Fig. 2, is drawn upwardlyuntil the top of the spring box 15 rests against the shoulders 38 and39, thus spring box communicated to the lever 11 and the pin 10 causesthe lever 7 to move on its ,pivot 8, carrying with it the pawl 3, sothat the pawl engages with a tooth on the toothed Wheel 1, andsoprevents the possibility of rotating toothed wheel 1 by any forceexerted upon shaft 2 ina direction to move the toothed Wheel in thedirection of the arrow C. in the form shown in the drawings. At the sametime the toothed wheel 1 may be rotated in a direction oppositeto thatof the arrow C Without necessitating any movement of lever 7, as thepawl 3 can be rotated on its pivot 4 against the tension of spring 5.

As is well known to all those skilled in the electrical art, andparticularly that part of the electrical art relating to theconstruction and operation of devices energized by alternating current,the change inthe value of the E. M. F. of an alternating current is suchthat at times it is of zero value, so that any device energized by analternating current 1s at certain instances of time practicallydeenergized. This characteristic of an alternating current when used tooperate a tractive device such as a solenoid results in an extremevibration of the operated part or core such as 24. This vibration is notonly it are sooner or later-mechanically destroyed.

This last mentioned result follows very quickly in case there is aninitial looseness in any connections between the tractive part of thecore itself and the parts operated by it, because such looseness affordsa good op- .portunity for a decided vibratory movement of the operatedpart or core, which soon results in increasing the looseness and soincreasing the vibration, and so the disagreeable noise and generalefiiciency of the device, which is also sooner or later practicallydestroyed.

The defects above mentioned are especially objectionable in analternating current device which is practically constantly energized,such as a retaining device in a railway signal, which is used to retainthe signal in the clear position as in what are known as normal clearsystems, and have in the past prohibited the use of such a device forsuch a purpose. For instance, the electro-magnetic retaining deviceshown in Patent 1,077,136 granted to F. N. Hall, October 28, 1913,cannot be used if energized by alternating current, as it' would soonwear itself to pieces. To provide a device for such a purpose thestructure shown in Patent 1,075,441, granted to G. Rekers, October 14,1913, was invented, but this also was found to be far from ideal inpractice, due to the mechanical vibration set up therein.

Applicants construction issuch that the operated part of core 24 doesnot itself at any time come firmly in contact with any fixed part, infact it floats in the air. The upper end of the two limbs of the core24, as shown in Fig. 2, do not, even whenfully drawn up, touch the lowerends of the fixed core 27, nor any part of the interior of the solenoid.The disk 22 is held between two springs, 20 and 21; the upper of which,20, transmits the force exerted by the core 24 when the coils 25 and 26are energized by an alternating current, and causes the spring box 15 tomove upwardly until it comes to the limit of its movement that is incontact with the shoulders 38 and 39. The vibration of core 24 is nottransmitted to the spring box 15, although the spring box is brought toa definite stop, when the core 24 is drawn upwardly because thevibrations are absorbed by the spring 20. The spring 21 is insertedbecause at the moment of zero value of the alternating current the core,together with its associated disk 22, would tend to drop not only by theforce of gravity, but by reason of the force exerted by the tensionedspring 20, so that if it were not for the spring 21 the core 24 wouldhave a much greater vibratory movement.

Applicants construction is such that the very slight period of timeduring which the alternating current E. M. F. is zero value is notsufficient to allow core 24 through disk 22 and spring 21 to causespring box 15 to move from in contact with shoulders 38 and 39 so thatwhen coils 25 and 26 are energized the lever 11 assumes a definiteposition and so remains without the least vibration, so that no noise isproduced and no wear, consequently, takes place. As core 24 contactswith no fixed part when fully drawn up, and as it is connected withspring box 15 through the intermediary of springs 20 and 21, it ispractically floating and is drawn into the center of the magnetic fieldproduced by the flow of current through coils 25 and 26 and remainsthere.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physicalembodiment of my invention, and explained the operation and principlethereof; nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the formselected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possiblephysical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

What I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid; a movable corein said solenoid; a lever; a resilient connection between said core andsaid lever; a pawl actuated by said lever; a movable shaft and means forcontrolling the movement of the shaft by said pawl.

2. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid; a movable corein said solenoid separated from the solenoid by a body of air when thesolenoid is energized; a lever; a resilient connection between said coreand said lever; a pawl actuated by said lever; a movable shaft and meansfor controlling the movement of the shaft by said pawl.

3. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a movable stop; means forlimiting the movement of said stop; a solenoid; a movable magnetic corein said solenoid, which when the solenoid is energized is drawn in andis separated from the solenoid by a body of air; and a resilientconnection between said stop and said core, whereby the energization ofsaid solenoid by alternating current causes said stop to be moved and tobe held in moved position and the vibration of said core caused by thealternating current to be absorbed by said resilient connection.

4. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid; a movable corein said solenoid; a lever; a spring box attached to said lever; a diskin said box and a spring in said box between the disk and the inside topsurface of the box; means for connecting the said disk with said core;and a pawl operated by said lever.

5. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid; a movable corein said solenoid separated from the solenoid by a body of air when thesolenoid is energized; a lever; a spring box attached to said lever; adisk in said box and a spring in said box between the diskand the insidetop surface of the box; means for connecting the said disk with saidcore; and a pawl operated by said lever.

6. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid; a movable corein said solenoid; a lever; a spring box attached to said lever; an upperand a'lower spring in said box; a disk positioned between said springs;means for connecting the said disk with said core; and a pawl operatedby said lever.

7. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a solenoid, a movable corein said solenoid separated from the solenoid by a body of air when thesolenoid is energized; a lever; aspring box attached to said lever; anupper and a lower spring in said box; a disk positioned between saidsprings; means for connecting the said disk with said core; and a pawloperated by said lever.

S. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a pawl; a lever upon Whichthe pawl is mounted; a second pivoted lever connected to the first saidlever; means attached to the second lever for balancing the levers asnearly as desired so that they will have no tendency to move from aposition in which they may be placed; means attached to the second namedlever for actuating it; and a movable member having projections adaptedto be engaged by the pawl.

9. In an electro-magnetic retaining device: a member, said membermounted for movement and formed with astop engaging surface; a pawl forengaging said stop engaging surface; a pivot upon which said pawl ismounted; a stop against which said pawl rests; resilient means forholding said pawl against said stop; a ivoted leverfor supporting thepivot for sald pawl, the stop for said pawl and the said spring, saidlever being formed with a bifurcated end forming a space; a leverpivoted intermediate its ends, said lever supporting one one side of itspivot a pin formed with an eccentric portion extending into said spaceand bearing uponvthe inside surfaces of the two portions of thebifurcated end of the first mentioned lever; means for turning said pinformed with an eccentric portion and means for holding said pin inturned position; another pivoted lever at the end on the same side ofthe pivot that said pin is supported connected to a spring box formedwith two spring bearing surfaces; springs, one bearing against each ofsaid last named surfaces; a member positioned between said springs andhaving. one spring bear on one side thereof, and the other springbearing on the other side thereof; a solenoid; a. movable magneticcorefor said solenoid; a connection between said member positionedbetween said springs and said magnetic core; means attached to saidlever, pivoted intermediate its ends, at the end on the other side ofthe pivot from that at which said eccentric pin is attached forbalancing so much of the two levers mentioned and the parts carriedthereby as desired; and means for limiting the movement of the springbox in one direction and the core in the other.

10. In an electromagnetic retaining device: a lever; a pin'having twoportions arranged eccentrically, one of said portions of said pin beingjournaled in said lever; a. movable member arranged to cooperate withthe other portion of said pin; a pawl carried by said movable member;and a toothed wheel having teeth adapted to be engaged by said pawl. c

OSCAR A. ROSS. Witnesses: i

W. CHARLES LooKE, SOPHIE LEVIN.

